Chris Matthews Explains "Oh, God!" Utterance

During today's Hardball, Chris Matthews will address the moment last night when a live mic caught him muttering "Oh, God," as Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal came out to deliver the GOP rebuttal to President Obama's address.

Here's a bit of what Matthews will say, according to an NBC spokesperson:

I was taken aback by that peculiar stagecraft, the walking from somewhere in the back of this narrow hall, this winding staircase looming there, the odd anti-bellum [sic] look of the scene. Was this some mimicking of a president walking along the state floor to the East Room?

Jindal has reportedly declined an invitation to appear on this evening's edition of Hardball.

Comments

[Davwbaird]

Honest responses to the absurd is nothing to be ashamed of.

[lagumbo]

Jindal and the stage craft and his so call rebuttal all deserved an OG GOD, because all of it was pitful.

[btraister]

Its funny. I actually said "Oh for god's sake" when he walked out.

[Mellenbal]

I uttered "Jeeeeesus Christ" myself and I didn't have to wonder if I'd said it with my microphone still on.

The whole production was overly contrived as to make Jindal appear presidential. It failed spectacularly. Jindal didn't have to say a word. "Cheesy" ruled the moment, and I don't think Matthews was alone in his inadvertent, and yet so genuine, utterance.

[JiminNC]

Chris got punked by Rick Santelli ... or paid

http://www.playboy.com/blog/2009/02/backstabber.html

[huffyjive]

You know I get a tinkle down my leg when I hear Chris Mathews speak...ho­w about you?

[daddyG56]

You should see a urologist about that.

[TheModerateVoice]

Shouldn't have done it, especially since he uttered it even before he heard Gov. Jindal speak.
I personally found Jindal's speech to be intriguing, but felt like it came at a bad time. "Less government help" is not gonna sit well with the people who are losing confidence in current economy.

[mathme]

I think that the fact that he said it before he talked makes his explanation ring true. It was absurd and bizarre stagecraft. It was as awkwardly scripted and blocked as a 5th place play in a highschool one act competition.

[amkhussein]

Both Bobby and the stage-craft were tacky enough meriting a "Oh, God" moment.

[Fernando]

"... this winding staircase looming there, the odd anti-bellum [sic] look of the scene."

It's antebellum. It means literally "before the war" but used in the US to denote Southern life and architecture before the Civil War.

[kburlz]

I didn't hear him because I was saying "what the hell?"

[taricaziz]

My wife said it looked like a Boris Karloff movie.

[Jodie Clarke]

His surprise to the scene was mistakenly recorded. But, he was correct and we've since found out the presentation contained untruths. I personally like watching Maddow, Olbermann and Matthews. (especially Maddow) All I see from the other side is constant ranting, raving, frustration and do it, their marketshare dropping.

[Dalicious]

I say Oh God! every time Chris Matthews or Keith Olberman opens their mouths, so we're even. Then I change the channel to higher quality fare, like Saw or Friday the 13th.

[Fernando]

SAW and Friday the 13th? You mean the FOX network, no?

[duchamp2008]

I said "oh god!" too when I saw someone who looked like Beaver Cleaver stepping out from behind a door to give the Republican response to Obama's speech.

[daddyG56]

I don't get the Beaver reference. I thought he looked like a zombie.

[che1111]

I said oh god too, and not just the stagecraft - Jindal in no way compares to the grace and dignity of Obama - he's more like a Bush-lite.

[aaronr2000]

I agree with those who say that Matthews/O­lbermann/M­addow are commentators more than they are journalists which precludes them somewhat from the bias charge (just as with O'Reiley/Hannity). Also, since he didn't know he was going to be picked up by a hot mike, I find his comment refreshingly raw and honest. That tells us what he was really thinking, and it appears that he uttered what we all were thinking. What an akward and poor display of showmanship!